Babatunde Olatunji was a pioneering drummer, composer, and educator who transformed global music by bringing African drumming to Western audiences.

After moving to the United States in 1950, he released his groundbreaking debut album, Drums of Passion, in 1959, one of the first records to popularise traditional African rhythms internationally.

Known for his electrifying performances, he collaborated with artists such as John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, and Carlos Santana, and used music as a tool for civil rights advocacy, performing at rallies alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and lecturing on African culture and identity.

In the 1970s, he founded a percussion school and ensemble that mentored generations of drummers. He later joined Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum project, contributing to the Grammy-winning album Planet Drum in 1991.